FIRST YEARLINGS

Although he raced until the age of seven, Finjaan's best form was at two and three, and this seven-furlong Group 2 scorer was among the leading juveniles of 2008. He made a winning debut over five furlongs at Newmarket in early May, was runner-up in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown a few weeks later, the won the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood before, two starts later, he failed by just a nose and a nose to beat Intense Focus and Lord Shanakill in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

He was unplaced behind Sea The Stars in the Group 1 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance, and he was unplaced every time he tried the mile for the rest of his career, but over seven he won the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and was later listed-placed in Abu Dhabi.

Finjaan, who stands at Gazeley Stud in Newmarket, has 29 known representatives in his first crop. He is a son of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Royal Applause (by Waajib), who is also the sire of the prolific blacktype stallion Acclamation (sire of Dark Angel), and he is out of Alhufoof (by Dayjur), a daughter of the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes and Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes heroine Cheval Volant (by Kris S).

That star failed to produce any stakes-winning offspring, but her daughter Amanah (by Mr Prospector), who is, of course, a half-sister to Alhufoof, gave us the Group 1 1000 Guineas heroine Lahan (by Unfuwain) and is the gandam of Listed Cocked Hat Stakes winner and Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes runner-up Alwaary (by Dynaformer).

Finjaan has very few representatives compared to some of his cohorts, but as a leading juvenile who is by the sire of Acclamation, it would be no surprise to see him get some talented juveniles and high-class handicappers or even the occasional blacktype horse in the sprinter or miler divisions.